Rose's Arrow
by RoniCullen
Summary: The young Rose Worth is almost killed in The Glades. But then The Arrow saved her. Now she is being mentored and cared for by Oliver Queen. But as time goes on, secrets are revealed, lives changed, hearts broken and enemies made.
1. Saved by The Arrow

A dark haired girl ran through the dark streets of The Glades, the thick heels of her black leather boots thumping against the cement sidewalk. She ducked into an ally, realizing too late it was a dead end. She ran to the wire fence and started to climb it. The men following her easily caught up to her. They grabbed her and threw her to the hard ground. She rolled over to face them, strands of her hair catching in her long eyelashes and clouding her vision.

"You're out all alone, pretty girl?" One of the men asked. They'd circled her, leaving her no chance of escape. She started to push herself up but they kicked her down again. She covered her head as they continued kicking her, a feeble attempt to protect herself.

"Hey!" A deep voice interrupted the stream of kicking. All the men turned around. A green, leather clad man with a bow stood on a roof, staring down at them. One of the men grabbed the girl, pulling her to her feet, and wrapped an arm around her throat.

"You really think this-." He shook the girl roughly. "-was the target? You were! We know a lot of people that would pay a pretty penny for your head!" The man growled. Anger surged through the girl. They were not going to hurt her just to get some guy's attention. She was done running from shadows. She kicked the man's knee and when he unlocked his grip on her throat, she spun around and decked him. In seconds the leather clad hero was shooting arrows into the men's shoulders and legs, nothing that would kill them. The girl was grabbed by the remaining man. She elbowed him in the face and then spun around, rewarding him with a roundhouse kick to the head. A man that had been shot in the shoulder jumped up, shoving a knife into the girls back. She gasped as blood ran down her black shirt and onto her dark jeans. The leather clad hero jumped down from the roof and onto the man, knocking him away from the girl. The girl collapsed on the ground, already unconscious. The hero punched the man. Again. Again. Again. Finally he was unconscious as well. The hero ran over to the girl, looking her over. She was bleeding badly, but that's not what caught his attention. She couldn't have been more than sixteen. Even younger than his sister... She was short; barely over five foot. She was thin in a slightly athletic way with wavy black hair that was strewn around her on the ground. He was not going to let her die. He grabbed her, scooping her up in his arms, and carried her back towards his hide-out.

"What happened? Who is she?" Felicity Smoak asked, her voice barely high enough for them to hear, as Oliver Queen, a.k.a The Arrow, hurried into the hide-out, the girl still in his arms. Diggle cleared off one of the metal tables. Oliver set her down. Her shirt was soaked with her own blood and her previous tanned complexion and turned deadly pale.

"Can you just help her? Please?" Oliver asked Felicity. She stood there, mouth open in shock. Then she unfroze and ran for the first aid kit. Diggle turned to Oliver.

"Who is she? Why didn't you take her to the hospital?" Diggle demanded. Oliver leaned over the girl, busying himself with ripping over the lower half of the girl's tank top.

"The Arrow dropping off a random girl at the hospital in the middle of the night? Someone would say something or un-mask me or…" He tried to think of a good reason. He couldn't find one.

"Or you'd have to leave the girl there? Why is she suddenly so special; you've never seen her before tonight?" Diggle asked as Felicity returned. Oliver and Diggle stepped away to let Felicity work.

"I don't know. I don't know why I brought her here instead of a hospital… It was just… I couldn't let her die, Diggle!" Oliver told him. He turned backed towards Felicity, who was holding pieces of white cloth over the stab wound in an attempt to the stop the bleeding.

"She was stabbed through the back." Oliver told her. Felicity, looking flustered, grabbed more cloth. Oliver hurried over and picked up the girl just enough so that Felicity could put cloth under her. He set her back down. Her own weight was enough pressure to slowly stop the bleeding on that side. Felicity still worked on the front side. Oliver ran a hand through his short hair and then angrily took off his jacket, tossing his bow and quiver onto another table.

"I… I think I stopped the bleeding… I'll start the, uh, stitches. Oliver, I'm not a doctor, I…I don't know how to do this right!" Felicity cried.

"You've stitched me up before!" He reminded her.

"That was in the shoulder and the side with minor injuries and even that I wasn't comfortable with. Not a stab wound that went through her! It could have done some major damage besides loss of blood, Oliver! I'm not a doctor! I'll… I'll try my best." She began digging through the first aid fit, her face red with frustration and her blonde hair slipped out of the loose ponytail. Oliver leaned over the girl. Despite looking nothing like Thea, she reminded him of her. He looked up at Felicity and she met his eyes.

"I'm trying." She whispered.

"I know you are. Please. Just save her."


	2. Rose

Rose's eyelids fluttered and then opened. She stared at the ceiling above her, too weak to move. She studied her surroundings through her fingers that groped the surface she was on. It was cold and metal. The coldness seeped through her jeans into her legs and even more so onto her bare back and stomach. She turned her head. Three people were whispering in front of a high tech computer a few feet away. A short blonde girl that kept nervously pushing up her glasses, a big black man that was wearing a suit and a muscular blonde man that was in the same green leather as she'd seen earlier. She listened in on what the people were saying.

"I can't find any record of her except hospital records from Australia where she was born… She was born to a woman named Lillian Worth. Her mother died shortly afterwards. No mention of the father… Perfectly healthy except she was premature and expected to be smaller than everyone else her age… By her birth date it would make her sixteen years and two months old. But that's where the records end! I can't find anything else!" The blonde girl was telling the men.

"You won't." Rose croaked, finding her voice even though it sounded weak and quiet. All three of them spun around in surprise at the sound of her voice.

"You're awake." The blonde man said in surprise.

"What?" The black man demanded, folding his arms across his chest.

"Why won't I find any records of you?" The blonde girl demanded, doing the same.

"What were you doing in The Glades in the middle of the night at your age?" The black man asked.

"Knock it off! Give her a chance to breathe." The blonde man snapped. Rose started to sit up but stopped when pain seared through her. She cursed under her breath and let the blonde man push her back down.

"You got stabbed." He told her.

"Really? I hadn't noticed." She shot back sarcastically.

"I'm Oliver Queen. This is Felicity-." The blonde girl waved her hand shyly. "-and Diggle." The black man just nodded her way.

"Oliver Queen?" Rose echoed. He nodded.

"Like the billionaire? And you're the leather clad hero of the night?" She asked. He nodded, running a hand over his face. She laughed but stopped short when her stomach hurt.

"Ow." She muttered.

"Look, you have to understand that you can't tell anyone about me." Oliver told Rose.

"Like I have anyone to tell anyway… So, you got your five minutes of fame from me. I'm gone." She heaved herself off the table, catching it to hold herself up as she started to fall.

"Whoa, you can't leave yet!" Felicity yelped in surprise. Rose shoved her feet in her boots, which lay on the floor in front of her.

"Yeah, actually I can. Places to be, ya know. And that does not include here." Rose said. She turned to go, but Oliver caught her arm.

"Rose… Just stay here, at least until you're healed." He told her. She turned back to him quickly, her black hair brushing against his chest in their close proximity.

"And you're going to make me?" She challenged.

"Fine-." He let her arm go, flinging it back towards her. "-go back to out to The Glades. I'm sure those guys are out of the crappy hospital they have and on the prowl again. If you want to go out there, alone, injured and stupid-." She flinched at the harshness of his words. "-then go." He motioned towards the stairs leading out of the basement hide-out. She looked towards them and then back at him.

"And what happens to me if I stay?" She asked quietly.

"Then I'll help you."

"Help me what?" She snapped, suddenly not liking the closeness. She backed away, nearly tripping over her own feet. She started to fall but Oliver caught her by the arms, pulling her back up.

"I'll help you by teaching you how to fight. You can take out two guys one at a time when you need to. When you're life depends on it… But you don't really know how to fight. And I'd bet that you don't have a home to go back to, or any family waiting for you." He told her. She shook out of his grip, the movement causing a sting in her stab wound.

"You don't know anything about me!" She hissed through her teeth. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Diggle and Felicity exchange looks and backing away slowly. Obviously this was something they didn't want to get involved in.

"Really? Tell me that I'm wrong." He challenged her. She opened her mouth to protest. She could lie; say she had someone waiting for her. He knew about her mom, but she could say something about a foster family. The very thought made her flinch. She'd been in foster families half of her life, none of them a nice experience; she wouldn't be able to say she was going back to one, even if it was a lie. Oliver half smiled, making it more of a smirk.

"I'll help you. Mentor you. Make sure you actually have a home. A family…" She looked over at Diggle and Felicity. They both offered small, reassuring smiles. She looked back at Oliver.

"Why? Am I just your little pet project? Show the world how you can take a poor little girl from the ghetto and turn them into a happy little pet?" She asked.

"No. I am trying to help you." He seemed offended and angry at the suggestion. She folded her arms across her chest uncomfortably.

"And what will happen? You'll just train me to defend myself and turn me out into The Glades again?" She asked, quietly and fearfully this time.

"You said it yourself. I'm a… What did you call me?" He asked.

"Leather clad hero of the night." She repeated with a small smile on her face. He returned the smile.

"Every hero needs a side-kick. You in?"

"Yeah… Yeah I am."

**A/N So what does everyone think of the story so far? Also: I forgot to add that this takes place sometime in the second season, soon after Roy was injected with the drug (don't know how to spell it) that made him all super-powered.**


	3. Verdant

It was a month after that night when Rose decided to stay. Rose was twirling around in a rolling chair. Felicity was monitoring all the computers. Oliver and Diggle were out some place or another. They'd set up a bedroom for her shortly after she'd decided to stay. It was across from the bedroom Oliver had. Apparently there was some huge fight with his mom that made him move out. Rose had long ago decided she hadn't wanted anything to do with his complicated family life. The bedroom was small, but then again it was homier than other places Roes had lived. Felicity and Rose had gone shopping and she had more clothes than just the ones on her back. Oliver had promised to start training her in a couple days, when she was fully healed.

"Why can't I leave?" Rose complained, pushing against the table to keep her chair spinning. Felicity didn't look up from the computer.

"Because Oliver doesn't like you out in The Glades. Besides, you go out everyday with me." She reminded Rose. It was true; everyday it was lunch or errands or shopping with Felicity.

"I'm talking about just going upstairs. To the club only-." She looked up, judging the distance. "-ten feet above us." She finished. Felicity turned towards Rose. Rose returned the look hopefully.

"One hour."

"Bye!" Rose jumped up and shoved her feet into her boots. Oliver had warned her about being barefoot almost all the time. He said it was in case she needed to fight someone or run outside. Rose was sure that he'd watched that Die Hard movie too many times. She hurried upstairs, quietly opening the door that led out to a storage room. She shut it behind her and turned around again. She jumped when Roy Harper was right behind her. They'd met before and he'd been charged with 'babysitting' her a few times.

"You're not getting alcohol. I made sure the bartender won't give you any." Roy told her, shoving a box of supplies onto a shelf above Rose's head.

"Maybe I'll use my charm on the bartender." She returned.

"Like you have any." He teased, smirking. She pretended to look offended before laughing and going out into the club. They'd become friends, though she could do without his quick temper. She looked around the club as music belted out from the surround-sound. She saw Thea Queen at the bar, talking to one of her employees. She had never met Thea, though she was sure through either Oliver or Roy she was going to soon. She looked around the club, nodding to herself.

"I can work with this…"

* * *

An hour later she was dancing on top of a table. She didn't even notice when Oliver walked in. Oliver looked at Roy, a silent question in his eyes. Roy held up his hands like he was surrendering.

"She never got any alcohol. She's just crazy." He told Oliver. He walked off, shaking his head. Oliver walked over and in one swift motion had picked her off the table, carrying her by the waist towards a semi-quiet corner. She struggled against him and he dropped her in the corner. She stumbled when she hit the ground and then spun around to face him, hurriedly brushing her hair out of her face.

"Are you drunk, Rose?" He asked her, completely dismissing Roy's previous assurance. She laughed, throwing her hair back out of her face.

"Nah. I'm just that awesome!" She said, still laughing.

"Oh, okay… So you're always like this?" He asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"You should know that by now, Oliver." She sang. She tried to head back out into the club, but Oliver caught her arm, holding her back. She groaned.

"What?" She demanded, her previous excitement disappearing.

"I told you to keep a low profile." He reminded her.

"Like anyone in this room besides you, Mr. Dead Pan-." She poked him in the chest. "-And me-." She poked herself in the chest. "-Is going to remember this in the morning! What's the harm? I doubt I've got a warrant for my arrest and bounty hunters on my butt!" She told him.

"I am just trying to protect you." He said, even quieter than before.

"I didn't ask for your protection." She said, dropping her voice as well.

"You did when you decided to stay."

"Not following, 'cause I did not ask that."

"You became a part of my team, a part of my family when you decided to stay. And I protect my family, Rose." He whispered. She folded her arms across her chest and then dropped them, shoving her hands in her pockets instead instantly uncomfortable.

"I know that being a part of a family is new to you, Rose. I was listening when you told me about your foster homes. But you have to learn that you are a part of a family now. _My_ family."

"I know… I just can't stay in that basement forever, Oliver! I was bored! And it doesn't help that you're never there! Felicity's only there at night and Diggle… He just doesn't like me."

"Diggle's not used to you yet. And I'm sorry about me not being there. But I have a job-."

"As the billionaire playboy and CEO of a big freakin' company… Yeah, I got that." She interrupted, running a hand nervously through her hair.

"Rose-."

"Can't I have fun for one night? Just one?" She asked, interrupting again. He opened his mouth to say something but then something behind her caught his eye.

"Sara." He gasped.

"Who?" Rose asked, turning around to see who he was looking at. She saw a blonde girl looking at Oliver meaningfully. Oliver started going towards her. Rose caught his arm; it was her turn to stop him.

"Yeah, great, but three questions first… One: who is that? Two: does she know the big top secret secret thing I can't say in public? And three… Never mind you're ignoring me." She shut up since Oliver had shaken her off and gone over to the girl. She folded her arms across her chest again. Roy walked up behind her and grabbed her shoulder. She jumped and he smirked. It had obviously been his goal to make her jump. She hit him on the shoulder half heartedly and then turned back towards Oliver and the girl, Sara. They were whispering about something at the other end of the club.

"That's Sara Lance." Roy informed Rose. She didn't look away from Sara and Oliver but she did grab Roy's arm to keep him beside her.

"Expand on that." She ordered.

"She's a part of the Arrow-Team. Oliver's on again off again girlfriend. Detective Lance's daughter and Laurel Lance's younger sister." Roy explained.

"One: we're not calling this team 'the arrow-team'. It's stupid. Two, she knows?"

"Yep. She was on the island with him."

"How do you know this?"

"Felicity and Thea are both talkative. Oliver filled me in on what I _needed_ to know. I get everything I need between the three of them."

"But Thea doesn't know, right?"

"No."

"Okay, I need like a handbook or something for the Arro-." She stopped short.

"You don't think it's stupid." Roy smirked.

"Shut up. It's stupid. Catchy, but stupid…" She watched as they went down into the basement hide-out. She moved to follow but then paused and turned back to Roy.

"If we're calling the team anything at all, Roy, it's something with Justice in it!" She told him. Then she hurried after Sara and Oliver. She pulled the door shut behind her and hurried down the steps. Sara was talking to Felicity and Oliver. Rose paused by the bottom of the steps. Oliver looked over and saw her.

"Sara, this is Rose." Rose walked over to them, standing between Felicity and Sara. Oliver put his arm around Rose's shoulders. Sara nodded to Rose in acknowledgement but then looked back at Oliver.

"You know I have contacts. Well, one of them assures me that Slade is living in Starling City now. He means to make a move against us."

**A/N Yes, when Rose said "If we're calling the team anything at all, Roy, it's something with Justice in it!" was a hint to the Justice League. Also, Roy and Sara will both be main characters in the fanfiction, though Roy will probably be in it more than Sara. **


	4. Slade

"Slade?" Rose echoed in confusion. She was totally lost now, something she wasn't used to. She'd thought that Oliver had explained everything to her. Apparently not. Sara looked at her again and then back at Oliver.

"You didn't even tell her about Slade? You must not like her that much, Ollie." Sara said in a disappointed tone. She wasn't sure why Oliver wouldn't tell his new team member about their biggest threat. Oliver tensed, uncomfortable. He pulled his arm off Rose's shoulders.

"I hoped it wouldn't be necessary… But I know about Slade. He was at my house, remember? But if he makes a move on us, we'll be ready." Oliver told Sara. She scoffed and motioned with a hand lazily at Rose.

"And her? You haven't even trained her yet, Ollie! Why is she even here?" Sara demanded.

"Why are you even here?" Rose snapped. Sara looked over at Rose in surprise, raising one eyebrow in a silent 'what did you just say to me' question. They glared at each other. Felicity muttered something about a cat fight before she backed away slowly. Oliver grabbed Rose's arm and pulled her back. Rose glared at him, sensing he'd made her step down first on purpose.

"She's here because I want her here. I'll start training her, Sara. Besides, I've been protecting her. No one has gotten near her. Are you staying here?" He asked.

"Of course I am. You need me if you want to take down Slade." She said it as if she was offended he thought she was even considering leaving. Rose wished that Sara would leave. Like right now.

"Good. You-." He turned towards Rose. "-and I will start training tomorrow morning. Eight-o-clock. Be up and presentable by then." He told her. Then he and Sara walked out of the basement, still murmuring to themselves.

"I don't like Sara." Rose and Felicity said in unison. They looked at each other.

"Why?" They asked, still talking in unison. Both of them were uncomfortable, trying to think up a good reason not to like Sara Lance.

"Um… She's annoying." Rose said. Felicity nodded.

"Yeah, that's it." They looked away, both knowing all too well the real reason for both of them not liking Sara was because Oliver liked her more than he liked them…

**A/N Sorry that this chapter is shorter than the others. Oh, and, Highlander348, I am thinking about giving Rose an extra little advantage, such as a power. Thanks for the review!**


	5. Eight AM

**A/N Sorry I haven't updated in a while and this is a short chapter. I'll try to do better!**

Rose's alarm clock beeped annoyingly from her bedside table. She hit at it until it shut up. Then she rolled herself out of bed before getting dressed tiredly. She went out to where Felicity was at one of the computers. She looked around but didn't see Oliver.

"He's having breakfast with Sara… He said he'd be back in a little while." Felicity said without looking up. Rose gritted her teeth.

"So much for training at eight…" She muttered. Felicity gave Rose and apologetic look before going back to her computer. Rose looked around and saw her leather jacket on the back of one of the chairs. She grabbed it and headed for the stairs. Felicity turned towards her again.

"Where are you going?" She called after Rose.

"Up to Verdant. Roy should be there, so he can make sure I don't wander off." She called back, knowing that she was only going to get out if there was someone to baby-sit her. She jogged up the last half of the steps and into the supply room. She closed the door behind her and then wandered into the club itself. Roy was cleaning up tables from last night. He looked up at her.

"Hey, Rose."

"Hey… You the only one here?" She asked.

"Thea's here." He told her. As if on queue, Thea walked over to them.

"Oh, hey… Who are you?" She asked Rose.

"Rose Worth."

"Right… Well, you don't work here and it's closed…"

"Yeah, I know. I'm a friend of Roy and Oliver."

"Oh, cool. How'd you guys meet?" Rose was relieved when the door slammed and Thea turned, forgetting about her question. The relief didn't last long. A dark haired man with an eye-patch walked in.

"Ms. Queen, Ms. Worth, Roy… I don't believe we've properly met. I'm Slade Wilson."


	6. Captured

**A/N This is a much longer, and more dramatic, chapter than last time. I hope you guys like it!**

Six men had surrounded us, but by the time we realized it, it was way too late to escape. Thea, however, was oblivious to the danger.

"Oh, are you a friend of Oliver's?" She asked.

"You could say that." Then the men grabbed us, two on each of us. There was a 'hey!' of protest from Thea, but no one was really paying attention to her.

"You could fight, but all of them have the Mirakuru in them, so I doubt you'll get far." Slade told us, a grin forming on his face. One of the men holding me produced a needle of some kind of liquid. I doubted it was coco-cola. I struggled feebly. Roy had the best chance; he had the Mirakuru in his system too, but even he couldn't break away from his own captures, despite his attempts. The needle was stabbed into my shoulder and the liquid injected. In seconds, everything had gone black…

I woke up chained to a chair. I looked around, trying to figure out where I was. There was several crates around me, tall ceilings with dim lights and no one to been seen. A warehouse, maybe?

"Thea!? Roy!?" I yelled. No answer besides the eerie echo of my own voice. I heard the song 'Come and Get It' by Selena Gomez playing quietly. It took me a second to recognize my own ring tone. I looked around for my phone. My jacket was sitting on top of one of the crates; my phone tucked into one of the pockets. I started scooting my chair towards the jacket. I was about five feet away. I scooted faster, ignoring the scraping sounds. It wasn't like anyone was around here to hear it. Four feet away… If I could just get to it I could tell Felicity, who was probably the one calling, to get Oliver… Give her the information I had… It was better than sitting here, hoping for rescue like some helpless princess. Three feet away. _Keep ringing, please,_ I begged the phone. As if that would do any good. Two feet away. It was on the final verse of the chorus; it was about to go to voice mail. One foot away. _Come on!_ I thought desperately. Then someone stepped into my way. I looked up. Slade.

"Trying to get this?" He asked, reaching to grab my phone.

"Don't suppose you'll just hand that over?" I asked him. He smirked and put the phone down again.

"I'll take that as a no." I mumbled. He walked behind me and grabbed my chair, pulling me back to where I'd started at.

"Hey, quick question, big guy: where's Roy and Thea?" I asked. He walked around in front of me again.

"Not your concern." He told me. I tried to play it nonchalant; like I wasn't aware of my dire situation.

"Datable. I mean, they are my friends so I should be concerned. One more little quick question: can you unchain me?"

"I'm afraid that would ruin the fun that we're going to have together." He said, smiling. He walked over to a small box on top of another crate. He must've put it there when I was attempting to scoot to freedom because it wasn't there before.

"Yeah, see, I think that my idea of fun and your idea of fun aren't the same thing. I'm sure you're as fun as kittens and rainbows, but just not my kind of kittens and rainbows if you know what I mean. Like some people prefer puppies over kittens. Do you have an opinion on that? You seem like a dog person, not that there's anything wrong if you're a cat person. I like cats better myself but that's because their independent and I can relate and all. Anyway, so if we could skip the play-date and-."

"Do shut up." He told me, annoyed. I shut up, figuring it was in my best interest. He finished digging through the small box and came back over to me with a tri-pod and a video camera.

"Don't suppose your casting me in a new movie? Because being an actress was kind of my dream when I was a kid and if this is it, then, man, am I happy."

"Shut. Up." He told me. I shut up again, though I was itching to keep talking. Annoy him enough, he'll leave. Then I can get my phone, call Oliver and I'll be out of here. It wasn't exactly a fool-proof plan, but it was the only plan that I had at the moment.

"I would shut up, but I talk when I'm nervous and you're making me really nervous. If you don't like, you could just hand me my phone and walk away." He'd finished setting up the tri-pod and camera.

"We're going to make a little video for Oliver Queen." He told me as he came over to me, pulling a piece of fabric out of his coat pocket.

"But first, I have to do this." I struggled as he gagged me, but it was useless. Once I was unable to speak, he went back over to the video camera. Once it was hooked up to a laptop, he turned it on and came back over to me.

"See, this is going to send it directly to Oliver's phone." He explained, smiling down at me. He turned to the camera.

"Oliver… Remember when you were given the choice of saving Shado or Sarah? You chose wrong. This time, it's different. You can choose your little apprentice here." He grabbed my hair and pulled my head back so the camera could fully see me.

"Or your sister. Rose is here at the warehouse outside of the city. You know the place. Thea is at 1305 Kings Lane. Choose correctly this time. For her sake-." He ran a hand down my cheek. I jerked away. "-I hope it's her. But your choice. You'll find Roy back in his apartment in the Glades, by the way; I had no use for him. You have exactly one hour or I kill them both." He walked over and turned off the video camera. I glared at him, though it only made him smirk.

"Let's see who he chooses…"


	7. Tick Tock

**A/N I hope you guys like this chapter. Please read and review! **

Slade pulled up another chair and sat down in front of me. He reached out and ripped off the gag.

"If you keep annoying me, I will put this back on you." He warned.

"I'm shaking." I said sarcastically. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"You should be."

"I should be scared of you? You're a murderer! You don't deserve that much thought from me!" I snapped.

"I do believe that Oliver will choose Thea over you. You know why?" When I didn't answer, he went on anyway.

"Because that's his family. You… Why, you're just his little project. You don't mean anything to him!"

"That's not true!" I yelled.

"Isn't it?" He pressed. He leaned forward on his knees to stare me in the eye.

"Really? Because your reaction makes me think differently, young Rose Worth… Did your mother ever tell you why she gave you that name, Rose?" He asked.

"She died when I was a couple weeks old." I muttered, not sure why I was telling him this. Something flickered across his face. Remorse, maybe?

"Hmm, I'm sorry to hear that. Well, the rose is a symbol for love, beauty and passion. She hoped you'd have all of that. Too bad she never got to see you for herself. She wanted you to be an artist, like her."

"You don't know anything about my mother!" I yelled.

"Indeed I do. Did you ever meet your father?" He asked.

"None of your business?"

"I know you didn't."

"How can you know that?" I demanded. He just smirked. He looked down at his watch.

"Fifty minutes until you're both dead." He murmured. Then he laughed like it was fifty minutes until he got to go to the park. He stood up again.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked. He laughed again.

"Revenge, of course. Why would anyone do something like this for anything else?"

"You're insane."

"I know…" He replied. He tapped his watch.

"Tick tock."


	8. Truth

**-I realized I changed from third person POV to Rose's POV without a warning. Sorry if there was any confusion, but from now on, it will be Rose's POV-**

I watched Slade pace in front of me. I could see his watch; forty minutes until someone died. He finally stopped pacing and sat down in front of me again.

"While we're waiting, I suppose we could talk." He suggested calmly.

"About what? My intense desire to kill you?" I returned coldly. He smirked.

"I was thinking about your father."

"Never knew him. Though I suppose he can't be worse than you."

"I think you know him, you just don't know you know him."

"Are you saying that Oliver is my daddy?" I asked sarcastically, knowing it wasn't the truth. He was only, I estimated, eight years older than me.

"I'm saying that the truth is… I am you're father." _He's just trying to get under your skin, Rose, don't listen to him_, I told myself.

"Yeah right." I scoffed. He pulled a picture out of his pocket, unfolding it and showing it to me. I would have snatched it if I could but my hands were tied behind the chair. I tried not to look surprised at the picture. It was of my mother (that much I knew. I had a picture of her back in the Arrow-Cave that's I kept with me my whole life) and Slade. I gritted my teeth and looked up at him again.

"So? There's this thing called photo-shop nowadays." I tried to say it nonchalant, like I didn't know just how real that photo was. He smirked, seeing through me.

"Deep down, you suspected it from the moment you got here." He said, standing up and walking behind me. I felt him pick up a piece of my hair. My black hair, the same shade as his own hair. I yanked my head away. He didn't seem to notice my sudden jumpiness.

"You. Are. Not. My. Father." I spat.

"You'll come to realize the truth to my statement once you think about it." He whispered. About ten men came into view. Slade walked over to them.

"Is Thea ready?" He asked. All the men nodded.

"Yes, sir. Two guards, nothing the Arrow can't take down."

"Good."

"Hey, mind filling me in on what's going on?" I asked. Slade looked back at me, an eyebrow raised. Then he just turned back to the men, ignoring me.

"You set up the video feed to the building where Thea's at?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good."

"I like whispering too!" I told them. Slade, again, ignored me as he looked down at his laptop screen. He smirked at what he saw.

"He's saving her now… Guess he made his choice."


	9. Fight

Suddenly one of the men dropped to the ground with a moan. Sara stepped into view, wielding her staff. Slade and the men looked over at her. Slade smirked. I looked around. Roy was kneeling behind a crate so only I could see him. He gave me a reassuring nod. I smiled gratefully. I couldn't wait to get free and get out of here.

"I said that _Oliver _had to choose between the girls. This was not an option." Slade said. Roy crept forward and started untying me. I watched Sara and Slade while he worked.

"Well, we're not ones to follow the rules." Sara shot back, her free hand tightening into a fist.

"Hmm… You think that I didn't suspect this? I know you're working with him and I know you two aren't stupid. I was prepared." Slade said. Ten more men came around behind Sara. Finally, Roy had gotten me free. I jumped out of the chair, stumbling a little when I lost my balance. Roy grabbed me by the arms and pulled me behind him, nodding to Sara.

"You're not going anywhere." Slade said calmly, turning towards Roy and me. I realized just how stupid we were; thinking he could hear Roy sneaking around and freeing me. He was Slade after all. He looked towards his twenty men and gave them a single nod.

"Get them." Sara started beating on them with her staff, not hesitating for a second. Roy jumped into the fray, punching and kicking everyone he could. I grabbed one guy heading towards Sara and swiftly decked him, sending him to the ground. Another one came for me. I grabbed his right arm, twisting it behind him until I heard a satisfying snap. I shoved him to the ground.

"Rose!" I turned towards Sara as she yelled my name. She threw a sheathed knife at me. I caught it and pulled it out. A third man came for me. I stabbed him in the stomach and he went down. Suddenly someone had me in an iron grip, one arm locked around my waist and the other hand around my throat. Slade.

"Stop!" Everyone stopped fighting. Sara climbed up from the where she'd been knocked to the ground. Roy pushed himself off the man he'd been repeatedly punching. They turned towards Slade and me. Slade dropped his hold on my waist, but kept his grip on my throat, though it wasn't tight enough to cut off my airway. A second later I saw his hand come back into view, this time holding a needle filled with some kind of liquid.

"Do you know what this is?" Slade asked. I wasn't sure who he was asking, but I answered anyway.

"Bubble juice?" He didn't seem amused by my answer.

"Mirakuru… The same thing that Roy and myself have in our systems. If you survive it, it makes you powerful. It's the surviving it that's hard." Slade explained.

"Slade, don't!" Sara protested, though she knew better than to move towards him. He scoffed. Then he turned me around, pressing me against a crate.

"Oliver had a choice. He chose wrong. Now he must deal with the consequences." Slade told her. He stabbed the needle into my arm and injected the Mirakuru into me.

**A/N This was another short chapter (546 words), but I promise the next one will be longer. Please continue to read and review! **


	10. Everything Changes

I felt like I was on fire. My heart pumped faster than I thought was possible. I screamed, falling to the ground in a crumpled heap. Then, just as quick as the pain came, it disappeared and everything went black.

* * *

I was floating in endless blackness. Then I snapped back to reality like a rubber band. I was in the Arrow-cave, on the same table I'd been on when I'd been stabbed. I jerked up into a sitting position, gasping and shaking. Oliver grabbed my arms, worry and fear on his face. Felicity came into view.

"She's not going to hurt us, Mirakuru or not!" She snapped. She pulled me into a hug, pushing Oliver away. I hugged her back weakly. Roy walked over to us and draped his red sweatshirt over my shoulders. Sara grabbed Oliver's arm and pulled him aside. They stood there, whispering with each other. Felicity hit my arm.

"Ow!" I said even though it didn't really hurt. "Don't pay any attention to them! They're just being mean." She told me. I climbed off the table, pulling the sweatshirt closer around me. Roy caught my arm as I started to fall. I leaned against him.

"What happened with Thea? Did Oliver get to her?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yeah. Diggle's driving her home. She knows about Oliver being Arrow now."

"Really?"

"Yeah… She and I also got in a fight and now we're broken up."

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault. You feeling okay?"

"Better than before… It hurt." I mumbled. Felicity hugged me again, not releasing me even when Oliver and Sara came back over to us. Sara was staring at me like she'd been staring at Slade. Oliver either didn't notice or didn't care enough to tell her to knock it off.

"You okay, Rose?"

"Um… I guess. If she stops staring at me like that." I said, motioning towards Sara. Oliver glanced at her. She scoffed and silently headed for the stairs. I looked back at Oliver.

"Question: what's going to happen to me?" Oliver opened his mouth to answer, but Roy beat him to it.

"Nothing, Rose. I have the Mirakuru in my system too and I'm fine. You'll do even better because now we know what to expect." He explained. Oliver opened his mouth to speak but this time Felicity spoke before he could.

"Why don't you go take a shower and then get into bed? You're dirty and tired." She suggested. I nodded. I walked to the small bathroom. There was complete silence in the room until I turned on the shower. Then I heard everyone start talking. I put my ear to the door and listened in.

"She's not like you Roy!" Oliver was saying.

"No, she's tougher than Roy is! No offense, Roy. And why does it suddenly matter that she's Slade's daughter, Oliver?! She was Slade's daughter when you saved her in the Glades. She was Slade's daughter when you were punching things because you were so dang worried about her! I hacked into that stupid camera to see what was going on in that warehouse, not so you could judge her!" Felicity snapped.

"If she's anything like Slade-."

"She's not!" Felicity was almost yelling now.

"She can probably hear us." Roy said so quietly I had to strain to hear him. There was dead silence. I numbly climbed into the shower, letting the warm water wash over me. Once I'd used all the hot water, I turned off the shower, pulled on some clothes and walked out into the room again. Felicity had her back to me, typing rapidly on a keyboard. Oliver was sitting at a chair, head in his hands. He didn't notice me. I opened my mouth to say something to him but decided against it and hurried into my room. I jumped when Roy was sitting on my bed, waiting for me.

"Hey." He greeted me. I threw my towel onto my desk and ran a hand through my wet hair.

"Hey…" I returned. I stood there by my desk awkwardly, not sure if I should go sit down beside him or just stay there until he left.

"Wanna sit down?" At the invitation, I went over and climbed onto the bed beside him. We sat there in silence for a moment, though it wasn't exactly an awkward one.

"So Oliver knows I'm Slade's daughter?" I finally asked.

"You heard that?"

"Yeah."

"He's just not sure what to think right now. If it helps, it doesn't change anything for me. Not about you anyway, your mom, who slept with that guy, well…."

"Don't bag on my mom." I warned him halfheartedly. I'd been having the same thoughts myself. He sighed and looked over at me.

"Rose… I've gone through what you're about to go through. I can help you. I will help you." He promised. I nodded and kept nodding absentmindedly until my neck hurt.

"Rose…?" I became aware of the tears streaming down my face. Then I was crying full out. Roy put out a hand awkwardly and started rubbing my back, saying nothing.

"Oliver hates me." I sobbed.

"No… Um…" Roy searched for a way to reassure me. Then the door opened. Roy's hand shot back to his side and I scrubbed at my eyes. Felicity was standing on the other side.

"Oh, hey… I was just going to tell you that Oliver said you should head on home. It's been a long day." Felicity told Roy. He nodded but then looked at me. I nodded to him. He got up and left. Felicity closed the door behind him and walked over to me.

"I was going to head home, but if you need someone else besides Oliver here-."

"No. Go on home." I told her. She leaned in and hugged me, kissing me on top of the head. She headed for the door but stopped and turned back to me.

"Rose?" I looked up at her.

"Oliver may be…distant for a while, but you're still my little sister. Not daughter. That would make me old. But I'm here for you." I nodded.

"Thanks, Felicity." She nodded and headed out of the room. I sat there on my bed, my knees pulled up under my chin, for a while. Then I stood up and went to the door. I poked my head out. Oliver was in the same position as that I'd seen him in before. I walked up behind him. Suddenly he spun around and stood up, an arrow held up like a dagger. He saw it was me and relaxed slightly, sitting back down.

"Rose…" He said in acknowledgment. I pulled over a chair and sat down, pulling up one of my legs to rest my chin on my knee.

"You know I'm Slade's daughter… Does that change our…relationship?" I asked. He looked over at me, swirling the arrow between her fingers.

"I don't want it to… But I can't… I can't think about anything else then what's going to happen when the Mirakuru really starts to kick in." He pushed the chair back as he stood up. He threw the arrow like a dart, hitting one of the training dummies square in the chest.

"Why would it matter? You think I'm like Slade?" I asked.

"I don't know what to think, Rose."

"You should know well enough me by now! You should trust me! Now since you know who my father is, I'm a totally different person? That's how it works?!" I asked, jumping to my feet.

"Rose…"

"Good to know that the second something changes, you kick me out of the Arrow-Club. Sorry, no one but the people you really trust!" I yelled.

"Rose."

"I thought you trusted me! I thought I was like a daughter to you? That doesn't matter anymore!? Of course it doesn't. Because you're Oliver Queen! You only care about yourself!"

"Rose!" I finally realized I was shaking with anger. He had another arrow in his hand, ready to use. I stepped back, trying to calm myself down. I ran back to my room, slamming the door behind me so hard the walls shook. I threw myself down on the bed, trying to slow my breath. I stared at the ceiling. In one day, my whole life had changed…

**A/N I would have had this up sooner but I started writing at like 7:45 and then was writing during commercials of the new CW show Star-Crossed. Anyway, I hope you liked it! Please keep on reading and reviewing!**


	11. Authors Note

**Hate to make this whole chapter an authors note, but...**

**Highlander348, **

**I am so sorry that I wasn't answering you're questions! I honestly just forgot when I was putting up the document for the story but I didn't mean to upset you or hurt your feelings! I am really, really sorry. **

**Now, to answer your questions: **

**1. I've been thinking about it and I do want to give Rose something a little extra to make her really stand out, but I'm not just sure how to do it and keep it really believable. Ever notice how in Arrow no one had special powers and how there's nothing supernatural in the works? But I have been thinking about it and I'll try to fit something in! Having something that would make her a bit more extraordinary does sound really awesome to me, though. **

**2. I do watch the show The Tomorrow People. I love it and I'm considering a fanfiction for that. Quick question: who's you're favorite character? I, personally, LOVE John! **

**3. I really hope (no offense) that you're wrong about Star Crossed and The Tomorrow People being canceled. Nothing against you and I'm sure you're really smart and know you're stuff, but I would just hate if CW did that! **

**Again, really sorry I haven't answered any questions from the reviews. It was not my intent to make you feel hurt. I really love your reviews and I want to thank you for reading! Sorry (again!). **


	12. This Means War

"Not to question you but… How is this supposed to help?" I asked Oliver, staring down at the bowl of water I'd been slapping for an hour.

"It will help." He said, walking around the table to face me.

"Yes. All water shall now fear me." I agreed sarcastically.

"Um… Oliver?" Felicity called from the computers. We turned towards her.

"Slade just broke into Queen Industries."

"What? Why?"

"How am I supposed to know? But he's in the building, kicking the crap out of your security." Oliver grabbed his bow and headed for the steps.

"I'm coming too, right?" I asked, jogging after him. He turned.

"No. Not… yet. Later."

"But if this is Slade you'll need-."

"I'll grab Roy and Sara on my way. Just stay here." He hurried off. I turned towards Felicity.

"Why do I get the feeling when he says 'later' it means 'never'?" She shrugged with a small smile. I huffed and went back over to the bowl of water.

"On the bright side, if there's ever a need to slap water, Oliver won't be able to refuse my help…"

It was twenty minutes later when Felicity gasped.

"What?" I asked, turning around.

"There was just an explosion at Queen's Industries…"

"What about Oliver? Roy? Sara?"

"I can normally track them with their com-signals… But I lost all of them. Come on." She grabbed her jacket and headed for the stairs.

"Oliver told us to stay here." I reminded her.

"And you're one to follow Oliver's every order?" I couldn't argue with the logic, I grabbed my leather jacket and hurried after her.

When we got to the scene of the used-to-be Queen Industries building, there were firemen, police men, reporters and just people who wanted to see what had happened. Felicity and I made our way through the crowd. Felicity steered me towards one of the police men.

"Mr. Lance? Are there any survivors?"

"Ms. Smoak… We're still going through the building. We've found a few survivors but Mr. Queen is still unaccounted for." He explained. Felicity chewed her lip for a second. Then she took my hand and led me away.

"He would have gotten out, right?" She asked.

"Of course." I tried to keep my voice low and reassuring, though it came out a bit more high pitched than usual. She nodded to herself.

"Of course." She echoed. I looked around the crowd of people. Then I caught the eyes of Slade. He was in the back of the crowd, smirking at me. Then he backed off with a silent nod for me to follow. I pulled my hand out of Felicity's.

"I'll be right back." She didn't even seem to notice when I hurried off after Slade. I followed him, against my better judgment, into an ally.

"What did you do?!" I demanded as I saw Slade leaning against a wall, still smirking at me.

"I think it's very obvious what I did." He returned. Suddenly he punched at me. I had just enough time to move out of the way and land a sucker punch on him. He laughed as he wiped some blood away from his bottom lip.

"I saw the Mirakuru did you good." He said. I glared at him.

"Why would you give me the Mirakuru? That just makes me a more powerful enemy you'll have to fight!"

"I don't think you'll be my enemy for long…" He said, laughing again. I landed a kick on his stomach. When I went in for a punch, he grabbed my arm and slammed me into the brick wall. When I fell to the ground, he grabbed me by the neck and pulled me up.

"Keep in mind that I've fought a lot longer than you have, Rose." He reminded me in a low voice. He threw me against the opposite wall and then disappeared. I was just pushing myself to my feet when Roy ran over to me.

"I see you made it out." I said with a cough.

"Yeah, Oliver and Sara are sneaking away now so no one seems them in their costumes… What happened to you?" He demanded.

"Slade happened."


	13. Plan

**A/N I hope you guys like this chapter! I think you'll either love or hate the ending! Please read and review! Thanks.**

"Slade knew what do. He was getting our attention, letting us know this meant war. He had an EMP in the building to knock out our coms, make us lose contact with Felicity and Rose so that they would come to him. He wanted to scare Rose, try to make her join him." Oliver said as he paced in the Arrow cave.

"So what's the plan?" Roy demanded.

"You still broken up with Thea?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"Fine…. Diggle, you have to stick to Thea. Make sure nothing happens to her. Sara, you're with Felicity. Roy, Rose, watch each other's backs."

"We already do." Roy assured him, giving me a playful shove. I half smiled, though, considering the situation, it felt wrong to do so.

"Okay, I'll humor you. We protect each other. We go out in groups. But then what, Ollie? We have to attack Slade head on or this won't ever end!" Sara protested.

"I hate to agree with Sara, but she's right. Best defense is a good offense, Oliver." I told him.

"You 'hate to agree' with me?" She asked, turning to me.

"Hey, you're the one that hated me first!" I shot back.

"Because you're Slade's daughter!"

"Pretty sure that's a form of racism."

"And you're maturity amazes me!"

"As does you're sarcasm, _Sara_."

"Why are you even here if you're not useful, _Rose_?"

"Girls!" We both looked towards Oliver, abandoning our argument. He looked between us with a stern look, as if we were misbehaving puppies.

"Get. Along." He told us, putting an emphasis on each word. Sara and I looked at each other, shooting quick death looks to warn the other that this wasn't the end of it, and then down at the ground, not willing to meet Oliver's eyes.

"Oookay…" Felicity tried to change the subject, but couldn't think of anything, so she just drew out the word. Oliver sighed and then went on.

"I don't like the idea of attacking Slade head on. That's what he wants."

"Please, he wants us to run with our tails tucked." I snapped.

"Isn't that what you do already?" Sara asked, smirking at me.

"Excuse me?" I asked, standing up my chair to stare her in the eye. I ignored Oliver's protest of not fighting behind me, as did Sara.

"Have you ever actually fought anyone without back up?"

"I saved your butt back there in warehouse!"

"Oh, yes, you took down _one guy_ coming at me that I could have handled easily without you. I'm eternally in your debt." She said sarcastically. My hand twitched, wanting to slap her. I resisted the urge, knowing the lecture I would get from Oliver later if I did.

"You're only here because Oliver doesn't want you to go to Slade. He doesn't want you out in the field not because you could get hurt but because you could turn against him. All that fatherly or brotherly love he had for you was flushed the second he found out you were Slade's daughter. How can we trust you now if that's who you father is? You may not want to, but you may cave in and join him. That's why you stay here, out of the way and out of mind!" The possible truth of her words stung like a knife. I looked over at Oliver, wondering if this was true. His expression said it all. I felt the hurt in my face. I turned towards my bedroom, but Roy caught my arm.

"Ro-."

"Don't!" I warned. He dropped my arm. I hurried into my bedroom, slamming the door behind me. I dug under my bed, searching for what I knew was under there. I pushed aside the various weapons Oliver had been training me to use, the wrappers and papers that had been kicked under there and finally grabbed a hold of the duffel bag. I pulled it out, throwing it on my bed. Oliver came into the room as I started pulling clothes out of my closet.

"What are you doing? Rose, I know you're upset-."

"You don't know the first thing about how I feel right now!" I snapped, grabbing an armful of clothes. I had mostly black clothes with the occasional red. I shoved them into my duffel bag. I zipped it up and turned to him.

"You want to know why you don't have to worry about me turning against you to join Slade? Because I'm done. With you. With him. With all of this crap!"


	14. Stay

**A/N YES! Two updates in one day! I'm getting better, right? **

**Oh and dear Highlander348, actually it was never my intention for Oliver to be kidnapped and have to be rescued by Rose and I was not trying to trick you into thinking so. Sorry to disappoint you. **

I stormed out of the ArrowCave, ignoring Roy's calls behind me. I finally stopped in the ally, only because he had caught up to me. I silently cursed the tears rolling down my face and waited for Roy to say something, keeping my back to him so he couldn't see.

"Rose… I can guess how upset you are. But please, don't do this." He pleaded. A sob caught in my throat when I turned to him.

"Roy… I can't stay somewhere where they don't trust me as far as they can throw me! I've been on my own for my whole life; I can go back to that without a problem."

"Rose, please, you know you don't want to do that."

"It's better than staying here!"

"Please, Rose, please…"

"Why are you so desperate to make me stay?!"

"Because I love you!" That stopped anything else I could even think to say. That was the last answer I'd expected out of him at this point.

"What?"

"Oliver gave me a choice. Come with him and rescue Thea, or go with Sara to get _you_. I choose you. That's why Thea and I broke up, because she knew it would always be you that I loved more."

"What…? When did you decide that you loved me?"

"The second I saw you." He leaned in, pulling me closer to kiss me. I let him for a minute, relishing in the feeling of being wanted by someone. Then I pulled away.

"I can't stay here." I whispered.

"Rose-."

"I can't. But… I love you too, just so you know." I kissed him, pulling his head down to allow me to. He ran his hands over my waist, pausing at the hem of my shirt and using it to pull me against him. I tangled my fingers in his hair with one hand and the other rested on his chest. We pulled away from each other a minute later, out of breath.

"I'll see you again, Roy… It's not _that_ big of a world, right?"

"Of course. I'll make sure of it." He promised.

"Then bye, for now." I told him. He frowned, obviously having been hoping I'd change my mind. I turned away, wiping away fresh tears, and hurried out of the ally.

An hour later I was sitting on a bus as it rolled out of StarlingCity. I looked out the window and tried to stop the new tears from rolling down my cheeks. I failed, but the bus only had a couple people who didn't care anyway. I pulled my knees up to my chest and closed my eyes. _Goodbye Starling…_


	15. Los Angeles

**A/N I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. This was one of my favorites to write!**

Los Angeles, city of angels. To me, it didn't like that angelic. But it was away from Starling, it was a fresh start. Away from Slade, away from danger… Away from the only family I'd ever had. I shook it out of my head as I got off the bus and stepped onto the crowded city sidewalk, lit up by the lights of the city itself. I gripped my duffel bag tighter, deciding what I was going to do from here on out. I supposed I could stay in a motel, the cheapest I could find of course. Oliver had given me money, but it would last long in Los Angeles… And I felt guilty taking the money he'd given me as an allowance when I ran away from him. But I didn't have much of a choice now did I? I headed down the sidewalk, hoping to find a cheap hotel or motel as I walked. I could also use the walk to clear my head. Think things through. After all, in one month I'd been stabbed, mentored by a billionaire vigilante, captured, given my Darth Vader 'I am your father' moment, given some drug that made me super-powered, had a boy profess his love for me, made out with a boy for the first time ever and then ran away moments later. It gave a girl a lot to think about. I wondered if any place would let me check in. Had I turned seventeen yet? I was pretty sure I was still sixteen, though I wouldn't bet on it. I hadn't kept track of my birthday when I was running and the month where I actually stayed with Oliver I didn't really think to check on it. I became aware of someone following me. I glanced over my shoulder, not stopping though. Five men in black sweatshirts. Great, this was going to end well. I sighed and purposely went into the ally to my right. The men walked in after me. I threw my back down against the brick wall and turned to them.

"You should know that I am not your average little girl." I told them, smirking. They branched out, blocking my exit from the ally. I rolled my eyes. Like I couldn't beat the snot of them…

"Slade told us to keep an eye on his little girl." The obvious leader told me. I felt myself tense at the very name 'Slade' and my hands ball up into fists.

"Slade?" I echoed through clenched teeth. Looks like Slade had men everywhere… And they were following me. Yeah, that was not going to fly. The five men nodded in answer to me.

"Now, see, this is where things have to get violent, boys..." I added. I jumped forward and kicked with both feet at the leader's chest. He went down. I landed on the ground and jumped back up without hesitation. Before the second guy could react, I grabbed the side of his head and slammed his head against the brick wall, knocking him out. I ducked as the third guy punched at me. I grabbed his arm and slammed the palm of my hand into his shoulder blade. I heard a popping sound, following closely by a scream that was not at all manly, though I could hardly blame him. The fourth and fifth guy tag teamed me. The fourth guy grabbed me and tried to hold me as the fifth guy backed out of my range of kicking.

"Slade said not to hurt you... But I don't think that he expected you to beat the crap out of three guys twice your size." He said.

"I think he expected that much. He must not value you're lives." I told him. I jerked my head back, knocking my head into the fourth guy's head. His grip loosened so I could get my left arm free but he didn't let go. I jammed my elbow back into his nose. He gave a cry of pain and let go of me. I was about to go for the last guy when he flew against the wall, a dark figure holding him there by the throat until he passed out from lack of air. The black suited man turned to me. I looked in what he looked like. He wore a black spandex suit with what looked like a blue bat or some kind of bird on the chest and a small black mask. He had unruly dark brown hair was probably as muscular as Oliver, despite probably not being that much older than me.

"You don't want to get involved in this. Does the name Slade ring a bell? Cause if it doesn't, I envy you. But those were some of his men. You don't want to get in a fight with him… Now who the heck are you?" I demanded.

"The name's Nightwing."


	16. One and the Same

**A/N Sorry for the long wait. Hope you guys like this one. Please review and tell me what you think! **

* * *

"Nightwing?" I echoed, trying not to laugh.

"You got a codename? You look super-hero enough. I'm not sure any girl your size could have done that without some training or something."

"I was trained a bit…." I admitted, pulling my black leather jacket closer around me. He nodded once.

"By who? Batman? He didn't tell me about you."

"Batman? Gosh and I thought that Black Canary was a stupid code-name."

"Don't say that to his face. He'd kick you into next week."

"Noted." I said, nodding once like he had.

"Who were you trained by?"

"Ever heard of The Arrow?"

"StarlingCity's hero?"

"Yeah."

"You're his side kick?"

"Used to be. Kind-a went off on my own."

"Hmm… Same here. I work alone now." He said, smiling a little.

"Well, I don't really work. I mean, I was with him, but I never got into many fights and I don't intend to get into any more. Thanks for the help, but I'm leaving now." I grabbed my duffel bag and turned to head out of the ally. He caught my arm, turning me around.

"You just got here?"

"Yeah. And?"

"You need a place to stay?" He asked. I sighed.

"What did you have in mind?"

* * *

An hour later Nightwing and I were sitting on his couch in his cheap apartment, eating top-ramen. I couldn't help but notice he'd kept his mask and suit on.

"So, you gonna take those off?" I asked, folding my legs underneath me.

"I don't like revealing my secret identity."

"Let me guess… Steven Gilbert? You look like a Gilbert."

"Dick Grayson."

"Was that that hard?" I asked, cocking my head. He ripped off his mask.

"Shut up." He told me teasingly.

"So you're a vigilante, working on your own now?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yeah. You don't want to be a vigilante yourself?" He asked.

"Why would I? Risking my life every single night? Keeping secrets? I liked it better when I didn't matter to anyone…" I grabbed his empty bowl and put his and mine in the sink. I stayed there, leaning against the counter. He got up and walked over to me.

"You don't miss the thrill of saving someone? Knowing you just took another guy off the streets?" He asked, looking and sounding completely confused.

"I never really saved anyone…" I admitted.

"Then you don't know what you're talking about." He said simply, folding his arms across his chest. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I know exactly what I'm talking about. I don't get involved because… I have a… um, connection to one of the villains of the story." I said, going over to grab my bag.

"Care to expand?" He asked.

"Not really." I shouldered my duffel bag and turned back to him.

"Thanks for the help. And you can make some rockin' top ramen, but… I'm a lone wolf kind of girl, so… bye." I headed for the door. He caught my arm.

"I'm stronger than you." I warned.

"I doubt that."

"You don't know anything about me."

"Let me show you something. It's still dark, still creeps running around the city. Let me take you on a patrol. Then you can decide whether being a vigilante is the right choice for you." I sighed and threw my duffel bag onto the couch.

"One time." I told him firmly.

"One time." He agreed.

* * *

**A/N Don't worry: Rose will return to Starling soon enough to help Arrow with Slade. She just needs the gentle (or not so gentle) push from Nightwing. **

**The part where she guessing his name is 'Steven Gilbert' is kind of an inside joke. I picture the actor for him as Steven R. McQueen, who is best known for his role as Jeremy Gilbert on The Vampire Diaries. **

**Also, I have a question for my readers: **

**What codename would you like Rose to take up? **

**In the comics it was Ravager, but I just don't think it matches her for this story. So if you guys would give me some suggestions for her code-name, I would love it and really, really appreciate it. Thanks ahead of time! **


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